While we're on the topic of copyright, I think we should also discuss our community ads. Some of them apparently are from copyrighted sources and we should make sure the ones we use are legally allowed.
The way I understand the Copyright Law, if you take someone's stuff and make something new, then you get to keep the Copyright for the thing you created.
US Law states the following about Fair Use:
Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the
reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as
criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and
research. Section 107 also sets out four factors...
> the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include:
#1) We are using their copyrighted material to advertise for our site, which fails completely. #2) Copyrighted material is basically for-profit artwork. We fail this one too. #3) We aren't using very much, so we're okay here. #4) No significant effect.
@AnnaLear so we could interpret that as being ads for the community, and not for the site, or something like that? meaning that the intention is not to make money, but rather to draw attention
If there is a legal problem, it will be brought to us. Then we'll handle it if it needs handling and pass the results on down to you if necessary. So, my advice would be to avoid doing something obviously boneheaded, but otherwise don't overthink it. :)
US Law states the following about Fair Use:
Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the
reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as
criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and
research. Section 107 also sets out four factors...
